Gameweek 21 Review – Strikers Deliver

January 3, 2013 ★

Suarez is flying at the moment and registered 16 points for his brace and assist against Sunderland.

Musings from Gameweek 21

Elite strikers

Three of the top four priciest strikers (Rooney is out injured) delivered double-digit Fantasy scores. Van Persie has been doing it since the start of the season, Suarez has been a little up and down, and Aguero seems to finally have hit his stride.

Suarez took five shots (all on target) and created three chances; Aguero unleashed six shots (four on target) and created two chances; and Van Persie had three shots (two on target) and created two chances.

All respectable numbers and back the theory that you should have at least one of these three. Tread carefully around Aguero, however, as he was substituted with a hamstring injury and is a doubt for next Gameweek.

Second and/or third strikers

There really is a glut of forward options at the moment: Dzeko and Hernandez as short term options before the wildcard; Ruiz, Pogrebnyak, Weimann as risky budget options; and Berbatov, Fletcher, Benteke, and Podolski (barely) as the proven, if slightly more expensive, options.

Ba would be on the list if not for his confirmed transfer to Chelsea which makes him a sell unless Benitez intends to make Ba his number one striker.

Despite his six shots Defoe drew another blank in Tottenham’s 3-1 home win against Reading; that’s his fifth blank in the last six games. With Adebayor notching a goal I would be wary of investing in Defoe as Villas-Boas could revert to his old 4-3-3 system with Adebayor as the lone striker supported by Bale and Lennon.

I’m leaning towards Berbatov at the moment with thoughts of upgrading to two elite strikers in the wildcard.

Old (and not so old) giants keep it tight

Three clean sheets were registered in Gameweek 21; Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool justified the high Fantasy prices set for their defenders.

United have two of their four clean sheets in their last two, Liverpool have three in their last four, and City two in their last four.

As the season progresses I would be watchful of these formerly tight teams, as they could be gelling defensively. Liverpool’s defence certainly look like a good investment, Zabaleta’s consistency is exciting for City, and United have several options should they tighten things up at the back.

One of these options is Evra, who I would be wary about investing in after his two goals and an assist in his last four games. He has on average less than one shot and one chance created per game. So be cautious of investing 7.0 in him unless you feel confident that United will massively improve their defensive record in the second part of the season.

Gameweek 21 Captain Picks

I’m documenting whether I’m passing the test with my captain picks. If a captain pick scores over three points in the Gameweek it is considered a success and I am also noting double-digit Gameweek scores.

In the Friday Foreplay for Gameweek 21 I recommended Mata, Suarez, and Van Persie as captain picks. Suarez and Van Persie delivered double digit Gameweeks whereas my worry that Mata would be rested came true.